Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Gloucester, VA - Resident Complaint On Animal Control Officer Using County Vehicle For Personal Use

I write to you today to provide information on a incident I observed this morning in Gloucester County. I am providing you the information to publish and to forward to a competent law enforcement agency and Gloucester County. Based on reports you have made in your blog I do not feel safe making a complaint directly to Gloucester County. Please do not use my name in the story or reporting to Gloucester County. I have no problem sharing my identity with the State Police outside the county.

“This morning while traveling north bound on Rt.17 south of the Court House I observed, at 0655 15 April 2013, a Gloucester County Animal Control Vehicle at the exit of Chesapeake Bank, branch office on north bound side of Rt. 17 just below the old Wal-Mart Store, the driver was in a short sleeve grey shirt with the Animal Control logo on the sleeve. It appeared the driver had straight light brown hair. Because of the cloudy skies and time of the morning it was hard to tell any other facial details of the person. I turned at the light to the KFC/Hardees and went into the parking lot. When I parked I noticed this same vehicle go around back of the old Wal-Mart building. About ten minutes, I did not look at my watch, later I observed this same vehicle turned into the Hardees parking lot and go to the drive in window; shortly after that the vehicle came around the building and went to the traffic light and turned north on Rt. 17. I was not where I could get a look at the driver after the initial sighting, but there were no other observations of Gloucester County animal control vehicles in this time frame. I was not where I could see where the vehicle went and would not attempt to follow the vehicle. I did not have a cell phone with a camera to take a picture of this event. However, I have witnessed a Gloucester County animal control vehicle leaving the same Chesapeake Bank branch on other mornings but do not remember the exact time or dates.”

Questions I have are why is a county vehicle being used for personal business? It also appears the person may have been on the clock while performing this personal business? If the county is going to allow personnel to use vehicles and pay them for personal business why should we as tax payers give them a raise? They should be fired along with county offices that allow this to happen! I have never seen Gloucester County Deputies using county vehicles to perform personal business and they are allowed to take them home so they can respond to emergencies. I have no issues with this practice. Virginia State Police also do this.